EP1211446B1

EP1211446B1 - Distributor

Info

Publication number: EP1211446B1
Application number: EP20010870258
Authority: EP
Inventors: Oscar Nember
Original assignee: Zipponi Rubinetterie di Nember Oscar
Current assignee: Zipponi Rubinetterie di Nember Oscar
Priority date: 2000-11-22
Filing date: 2001-11-22
Publication date: 2006-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-22
Also published as: IT250584Y1; ITBS20000086U1; ES2256194T3; EP1211446A1

Description

The field of the invention

This invention concerns the general taps and fittings sector and refers especially to a multi-way distributor for plumbing systems.

State of the art

Multi-way hydraulic deviators to selectively distribute a water inlet flow to several outlets through a rotating distributor component have already been proposed.
For example, the document DE-A-25 36 569 discloses a hydraulic, multi-way distributor which comprises a body with a water inlet passage and several water outlet ways and a deviator device rotatably fitted in the said body and having an axial hole communicating with the water inlet passage and a lateral opening designed to be positioned far away from or fully or partially in line with at least one of the said outlet ways, following rotation of the deviator device to intercept the inlet water flow and to selectively distribute it towards the said uses. If said distributor is provided with a valve device, this move axially in the distributor.
The document FR-A-739 519 discloses an assembly which includes a valve unit and a distributor unit for taps where,however, the two units are configured and associated so as to be controlled by a single knob and only when the valve has reached a certain position when opening.
In turn, the document DE-A-2205486, discloses a tap-distributor which has two controls means, respectively to open and close the inlet of water and for the distribution of the water towards the outlets, but where the opening and closing system requires the axial movement of a stopper.
The document DE-A-2207927 corresponding to the preamble of claim 1, discloses a tap for a water heater which also operates in an axial mode by means of a push and pull rod with a single knob which acts also a means for controlling the distribution of the water towards the outlets.
To be noted that in each above cited document, the water inlet passage is axial and in particular in DE-A-2205486 and DE-A-2207927 the inlet tube is positioned and fixed to the of the tap and does not use its external surface to canalise the water towards the outlets. The top part of the tube where present and which protrudes into the mixing chamber is envisaged principally to interact only with the closing element.

Purpose of the invention

The purpose of this invention is to supply a multi-way hydraulic distributor in a new and simpler conformation with fewer pieces; one which is more economical to make, of certain functionality, and reliable.
This purpose is achieved with a multi-way hydraulic distributor according to the characterising part of claim 1.

Description of the invention

Further details of the invention will prove more obvious by going through a description making reference to the enclosed, indicative and non-limiting enclosures, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the axial section of a multi-way distributor according to the finding; and
Fig. 2 shows a schematic aerial view of the distributor in Fig. 1.

The distributor illustrated, includes a body 10, in which the following have been made: an inlet passage 11 and several water passages 12 at a different level, each with a 12' fitting for connection to a respective use. The body has one extemal threaded part, provided with two nuts 10' to fit the distributor to a surface or support wall.
Inside the body 10, the following are housed: a sealed deviation device 13 to direct the incoming water flow towards each of the outlet ways 12; a valve type device 14, inserted coaxially inside the deviator 13 for partially or totally opening and closing the water inlet passage 11.
The deviator device 13 has a hollow body, with an axial hole 16' and a lateral opening 16 executed at the level of the oudet ways 12. This device is susceptible to rotation around its geometric axis to place lateral opening 16 in line with at least one outlet way, excluding the remaining ones. As it rotates, deviator 13 presents a head portion protruding from the body 10 of the distributor, coupled with a manoeuvre knob 17. In order to obtain the easy and correct positioning of the lateral opening 16 with respect to each of the outlet ways 12, in body 10 of the distributor, a stop ball 18, driven by spring 19 is foreseen. This stop ball engages the cavities 18' made in the deviator device 13, in line with each outlet way.
The valve type device 14 is connected to and communicates with the water inlet passage 11, through a channel conduit 20, located in axis with the valve type device and coaxial to the deviator. This conduit 20 extends towards the valve type device 14, starting from the opening of the deviator 13, directed towards inlet 11. At the outlet, the valve type device communicates with an annular channel 15 that arrives at the lateral opening 16 of the deviator. This channel is delimited by deviator 13 at the outside, with the valve type device 14 and the conduit 20 at the inside, so that the water entry passage 11 never directly communicates with any outlet way 12. The valve type device 14 can be of the mother screw type with ceramic plates or have other means to partially or totally close and open the water inlet 11. To be operated, the valve type device 14 has a head fitting 14, protruding from the body 10 that can be coupled with a second knob 21.
In practice, the desired amount of inlet water passes through the conduit 20 and the valve type device 14, and from here it is deviated towards an outlet way, through lateral opening 16 in the deviator device 13.
It should be noticed that this lateral opening 16 may also be partially lined up with two oudet ways 12, to distribute the water towards two uses at the same time.
It should also be noted that that the distributor could also be without valve type device 14. In this case, the deviator acts as a shutter when its lateral opening 16 is located far from outlet ways 12 and perhaps equipped with a distributor body seal gasket.

Claims

A hydraulic, multi-way distributor comprising:
a body (10) with a water inlet passage (11) and several water outlet ways (12) each for a different use;

a deviator device (13) rotatably fitted in said body and provided with an axial hole (16') communicating with the water inlet passage and a lateral opening (16) to be disposed away from or fully or partially in line with at least one of said outlet ways (12) upon rotation of the deviator device to intercept the inlet flow of water and to distribute water flow towards the uses selectively;

a valve device (14) associated with said deviator device (13) for the partial or total opening or closing of the water inlet passage; characterized in that :
- the water inlet passage (11) is located in said body radially,

- an axial connection conduit (20) extends within the axial hole (16') of said deviator device and provides an interior passage, which connects said radial water inlet passage (11) to said valve device (14) and cooperates with said deviator device to define an annular water transit channel (15) between said conduit and said deviator device from said valve device to the lateral opening (16) of said deviator device, said valve device communicates at an entry side with said axial conduit (20) and on an exit side with said annular water transit channel (15) towards said lateral opening (16) of the water flow deviator, for supplying water selectively to the outlet ways, and

a first rotating control knob (21) is connected to said valve device (14) for controlling the water flow from said water inlet passage to said lateral opening; and a second rotating control knob (17) is connected to said deviator device (13) for controlling the rotational position of the deviator to control water flow from said water inlet passage to each of said several water outlet ways.